Safety bottle top



March 26, 1968 E. D, VELT 3,374,912

SAFETY BOTTLE TOP Filed July 18, 1966 KfZ/ ffy I N VEN TOR.

United States Patent() 3,374,912 SAFETY-BOTTLE TOP Evert D. Velt, 6182 Roy St., Los Angeles, Calif. 90042 Filed July 18, 1966, Ser. No. 566,074

5 Claims. (Cl. 21S-9) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A safetybottle top comprises an inner member. having an end wall and a cylindrical side wall engaging the thread of a bottle, which inner member is enclosed by on outer member having'an end wall and .a cylindrical side wall, the two members being rotatable relative to each other and axially movable relative to each other with spring means normally holding ythe two walls apart. One of the two end walls has a lug in a given radial zone projecting towards the other end wall and the other end wall has a ramp in said radial zone which merges at one end with the end wall and terminates at the other end in an abutment facing in a left hand direction. Said other end wall further has a recess in said radial zone forming a second abutment facing in the right hand direction, whereby the lug means onsaid one end wall may engage said first abutment when the axial spacing of the' two end walls is reduced to a given degree in opposition to Athe spring means and whereby the lug means may enter said recess to engage said second abutment when the lug means registers with said recessand the axial spacing of the vtwo end walls is reduced to greater than said given degree in opposition to said spring means.

The present invention relates to bottle tops and more particularly to a safety bottle top which is safe in the sense that it requires the performance of certain manipulative steps in order to remove the top from the bottle.-

There has long existed a problem in the bottle top field in respect of closures for bottles containing potentially harmful materials such as medicine or pills in that such bottles are often exposed to young children or to others who might inadvertently open the bottle and consume some of the material therefrom.

The present invention involves improvements'in such bottle tops' in that the outercap of the composite cap assembly in accordance with the present invention is of a typical cap configuration without outward projection and without other visible signs that denote it as a safety bottle top, thus alleviating the possibiliy that mere curiosity would invite an attempt to remove the safety cap from the bottle.

In addition, the safety top of the present invention, by reason of the outer top having a typical bottle top form, lends itself to automatic application of thesafety top to bottles by existing automatic machinery. d

An earlier approach to ythe problem of providing a safety bottle top having the external appearance of a typical bottle top is the subject of U.S. Patent No. 2,847,139. However, that prior attempt would provide a structure which though simple in mode of operation, is complex in terms of manufacture and assembly, as well as expensive from the standpoint of the provision of numerous components requiring special assembly technique.

The present invention has as an object the provision 'of a structure in which a pair of complementa] inner'A and outer caps may be formed of moldable plastic material and the inner cap inserted into the outer cap without requiring the assembly of any other componentsand all of the cooperative elements required to automatically cause unitized right-hand rotation and selective unitized deft-hand rotation being incorporated within the space de- 3,374,912 Patented Mar. 26, 1968 ICC 4ployed to maintain a normal axial spacing between the end walls of the caps, which spring is made as a unitary element forming part of one of the end walls of one of the caps.

. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be `hereinafter described or will become apparent to those skilled in the art, and the novel features of the invention Willbedened in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. l is a top plan View of a safety bottle top'made in accordance with the invention with a portion of the outer member broken away, the outer cap being in position to effect right-hand rotation of the inner cap;

FIG. 2 is a diametrical sectional view as taken on the line 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. y3 is a diametrical sectional view as taken on the line 3 3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3, but showing the outer topk member in position relative to the inner top member to enable unitized left-hand rotation.

Like reference characters in the several views of the drawing and in the following description designate corresponding parts.

In the illustrative embodiment of the safety top of the invention there is an inner cap member generally denoted 1 having a cylindrical side wall 2 closed at its top by an end wall 3. Within the cylindrical side wall 2 is an internal thread 4`adapted for engagement with the typical thread at. the mouth of a bottle as shown in broken lines. An outer cap ymember generally denoted at 5 is provided and includes a cylindrical side wall 6 and an upper end wall 7. The outer cap member 5 is loosely disposed about the sidewall 2 of the inner cap member for relative rotative movement as well as for limited axial movement in accordance with one of the features of the invention.

[Such axial movement is limited in one direction by a ysuitable inwardly projecting retainer flange 8 formed within the cylindrical side wall 6 of the outer cap 5 adapted to abut with the lower end of the side wall 2 of the inner cap 1. Means are provided for limiting axial movement of the outer cap 5 in the other direction relative to the inner cap 1, but such means being resiliently deformable to allow manual forcing of further axial movement in the direction which will move the outer cap end wall 7 toward the inner cap end wall 3.

`In combination with the resilient means just referred to, means are provided for selectively locking the caps 1 and 5 together for unitized rotation relative to the bottle in a right-hand direction, that is,in a direction t-o tighten the innercap 1 on the bottle, but such means being so constructed as to be rendered inoperative to cause lefthandl rotation of ,the inner capy in response to left-hand rotation of the outer cap. In addition, the just described Ameans includes elements cooperatively coengageable upon yaxialmovement of the outer cap end wall 7 toward the inner cap end wall 3 so as to interlock the caps together for unitized rotation in the left-hand direction, that is, in the direction to remove the inner cap from the bottle.

The means generally referred to above comprise cooperative members on the respective end walls 3 and 7. As illustrated, the end wall 3 of the inner cap 1.has a circumferentially extended ramp 9 provided with a ramp surface 10 merging with the upper surface of the end wall 3 at one end and With a verticall abutment wall 11 at its other end. Within the outer cap 5 and disposed at the juncture of the side wall 6 and end wall 7 thereof is a lug 12 having a vertical wall 13 engageable with the vertical wall 11 of the ramp 9 so as to enable the transmission of rotation in a right-hand direction from the outer cap 5 ,to the inner cap 1. However, it will be noted that leftengage the ramp surface 10, thereby moving the outer cap axially relative to the inner cap so that the lug 12 will ride over the abutment Wall 11. Thus, the abutment 11 and ramp together with the lug 12 in effect constitute one-way clutch means which automatically engage to cause unitized right-hand rotation of the caps but which overrun to prevent the transmission of rotation from the outer cap to the inner cap in the left-hand direction.

In order to effect such left-hand rotation, the end Wall 3 of the inner cap is provided with a cavity or recess 14 having an axially extended abutment wall and the lug 12 has an axially extended wall 16 engageable with the Wall 15 of recess 14 upon insertion of the lug 12 into the recess 14.

In order to cause the insertion of the lug 12 intothe recess 14, the outer cap 5 is adapted to be moved axially against resilient means which normally maintain the end walls 3 and 7 so spaced that the lug 12 will clear the end wall 3 of inner cap 1. In accordance with one of the features of the invention, the resilient means just referred to above is constituted by integral resilient portions formed during the molding of the cap members. In the illustrative embodiment these resilient portions are formed on the inner cap 1 inthe nature of a cupped formation having arms 17, 17 projecting outwardly from the center of the end Wall 3Y and upwardly so as to present end surfaces 1S, 1S to the underside of the end wall 7 of the outer cap 5 upon which the end wall 7 will normally rest and be free for revolution relative to the inner cap 1, except when the lug 12 is in abutting engagement with the abutment Wall 11 or when the lug 12 is riding on the ramp surface 10. It is apparent that for the lug 12 to cooperate in the described manner with the two abutment walls 11 and 15, the lug and the two abutment walls must be in the same radial zone.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the caps 1 and 5 are shown in a normal relative axial relationship as maintained by the resilient arms 17 with the outer cap 5 rotated so as to dispose the lug 12 in abutting engagement with the wall 11. Thus, right-hand rotation of outer cap 5 will thereby be imparted to inner cap 1. In FIG. 4 the outer cap 5 is shown in the position that it would assume relative to the inner cap 1 following manual depression of the cap 5 against spring arms 17 so as to cause depression of the lug 12 into the recess 14, whereby the vertical wall16 of lug v 12 may be engaged with the vertical Wall 15 of recess 14 so as to enable unitized left-hand rotation of the cap assembly. Under such conditions it will be noted that the resilient plastic cupped arms 17 will fiex downwardly and slide outwardly relative to the undersurface of the end Wall 7 of the outer cap 5. When the manual pressure holding the outer cap 5 depressed is released, the spring arms 17 will return the outer cap to the position shown in FIG. 3.

It will be noted that in the usevof the present cap it is unnecessary to effect visual alignment of any complementary elements in order to effect rotation of the inner cap in either direction. Right-hand rotation of the inner cap will be automatically effected upon right-hand rotation of the outer cap. In order tocondition the caps for left-hand rotation it is simply necessary to revolve the outer cap until engagement of lug 12 with the abutment wall 11 is manually detected, at which time the outer cap may be depressed, as described above, to move the lug 1.2 into the recess 14. l

Moreover, it will be noted that in accordance with one of the features of the invention the outer cap 5 has the physical appearance of any typical cap and contains no outward projections or slots to signify that it is a safety top construction. In addition to its visual similarity to conventional tops, its structural similarity to conventional tops enables application of the top to bottles by typical high speed automatic machinery which is adapted to engage the usual cylindrical top and impart right-hand rotationthereto to apply the same to the bottle.

It will also be recognized that the inner and'outer cap members are respectively adapted to be molded of suitable plastic material which should be of such strength that the cylindrical wall 6 of the outer cap cannot be readily radially deformed into frictional coengagement with the side wall of the inner cap, thereby preventing frictional driving of the inner cap in a left-hand direction which would otherwise result in its removal from the bottle.

While specific structural details have been shown and described, it should be understood that changes and alterations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: i

1. In a safety bottle top, comprising: an inner member having a cylindrical side wall provided with an internal thread for engagement with the thread of a bottleand an end wall; an outer member having a cylindrical side wall loosely disposed about said side wall of said inner member for relative rotative and axial movement of said members'and an end wall; spring means normally holding said end walls spaced apart; and selectively interengageable means for locking said members together for unitized rotation relative to said bottle upon movement of said end walls toward one another; the improvement wherein said selectively interengageable means comprises: lug means on one of said end walls in a given radial zone projecting towards the other end wall; a Iramp on said other end wall projecting towards said one end wall in said radial zone, said ramp merging at one end with said other end wall and at the other end terminating in an abutment wall facing in a left hand direction, said other end wall having a recess in said radial zone dimensioned to receive said lug means, said recess for-ming a second abutment wall facing in the right hand direction whereby said lug means on said one end wall may engage said first abutment wall when the axial spacing of the two end Walls is reduced to a given degree in opposition to said spring means and whereby the lug means may enter said recess to engage said vsecond abutment wall when the lug means registers with the recess and when the axial spacing of the two end walls is reduced to greater than said given degree in opposition to said spring means.

2. A safety bottle top, comprising: an inner cap having a cylindrical side wall provided with an internal thread engageable with the threadedendof a bottle and an end Wall; said end wall adacent its outer periphery having a circumferentially extended ramp including a ramp surface merging with said end wall and an axial abutment facing in one direction; said end wall also having at the base ofv said abutment a recess including an axially extended second abutment opposing the first mentioned abutment and constituting a side wall of said recess; an outer cap having a cylindrical side wall loosely disposed about said inner cap and an end Wall overlying the end Wall of said inner cap; said outer cap having internally thereof at the juncture of said end wall and said side wall thereof a-lug having oppositely facing axially extended surfaces respectively coengageable with said abutments; spring means interposed between said end walls and normally maintaining said end walls in spaced relation so that said lug will engage said first mentioned abutment but clears the end wall of said inner cap so as to pass over said second abutment; said first mentioned abutment and said lug constituting one-way clutch means for causing unitized rotation of said caps in a Aright-hand direction upon rotation' of said outer cap in a right-hand direction relative to said bottle while enabling free rotation of said outer cap in a left-hand direction relative to said bottle; and said second abutment and said lug constituting means coengageable responsive to axial movement fof said outer cap end wall toward said innercap end wall and deformation of said spring means to cause unitized rotation of said caps in a lefthand direction upon left-hand rotation of said outer cap relative to said bottle.

3. A safety bottle top as defined in claim 2, wherein said caps are respectively composed of molded plastic material and said spring means consists of an integral spring formation composed of said plastic material disposed centrally of the end wall of one of said caps and projecting axially into sliding coengagement with the end wall of the other of said caps.

4. In a safety bottle top, comprising: an inner member having a cylindrical side wall provided with an internal thread for engagement with the thread of a bottle and an end wall; an outer member having a cylindri- .cal side wall loosely disposed about said side wall of said inner member for relative rotative and axial movement of said members and an end wall; spring means normally holding said end walls spaced apart; and selectively interengageable means for locking said members together for unitized rotation relative to said bottle upon movement of said end walls toward one another; the improvement wherein said spring means comprises an integral formation on one of said end walls and projecting therefrom for engagement with the other of said end walls; and said member having said formation being composed of resilient plastic material, and wherein said selectively interengageable means comprises a lug on one of said end walls; a ramp on the other of said end walls having a ramp surface and an abutment surface', said lug and said ramp constituting one-way clutch means for causing unitized rotation of said members in a right-hand direction upon rotation of said outer member in a right-hand direction relative to said bottle while allowing free rotation of said outer member in a lefthand direction relative to said inner member; said other member having a second abutment surface disposed oppositely to said rst mentioned abutment surface for engagement by said lug following movement of said end walls toward one another and deformation of said formation for causing unitized rotation' of said members in a left-hand direction upon rotation of said outer member in a left-hand direction relative to said bottle.

5. A safety bottle top as defined in claim 4, wherein said other member is provided with a recess at the base of the first mentioned abutment surface, and said second abutment surface is constiuted by a wall defining said recess and opposing said rst mentioned abutment surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,061,214 11/1936 Sent-man 21S-9 2,964,207 12/ 1960 Towns 215-9 3,063,588 11/1962 McKim 215--9 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. 

